Former Prime Minister before court for money laundering

WILLEMSTAD - The former Prime Minister Gerrit Schotte OF Curaçao must defend himself before the court starting on September 9 of this year. This is according to the judge on Thursday this week. Schotte is accused of forgery and money laundering.

Schotte (40) is also accused of passive bribery and possession of a so-called "phone jammers" in his house; the latter can be used in order to make it impossible for interception of telephone traffic.

The lawyer representing Schotte, Peppie Sulvaran also wants to hear the Dutch former Minister Piet-Hein Donner as a witness in this case. Sulvaran said that Donner has teamed up with the governor of Curaçao and others to overthrow Schotte's government in 2012. The lawyer claims that the trial against Schotte is a political process.